Do you feel a cold coming on? Here are some quick things you can do that will help relieve your symptoms and cure you of your runny nose within a day!

There are numerous ways of catching a cold.

Exposure

Many of us catch a cold at night, due to exposure, and wake up in the morning feeling slightly unwell, with a heavy head, stuffy nose and bad throat. However, this doesn't happen immediately. You will notice that you have been feeling slightly uncomfortable and cold on waking, for a few days before you actually fall ill. So pay heed to these signs, and cover up. Wear something warmer or less skimpy at night. Cover yourself up well, reduce the speed of the fan or the air conditioner slightly, or take an extra sheet or thicker comforter. Prevention is, after all, better than cure.

Close contact

If someone at home has a cold, wash your hands often, and avoid touching your nose. The way you catch a cold from someone else is if the cold virus finds its way into your nasal canal. If someone at your home has a cold, chances are that you have the cold virus on your hands, especially if you are in close contact with the person. So, if you rub your nose, you too may catch a cold. However, if you wash your hands often during this period, you reduce the likelihood that you will catch a cold. This is the best time to keep a hand sanitizer handy.

If you have a bad cold, don't feel compelled to take a shower. Just do whatever feels good without feeling guilty. If you are too unwell to go to work, don't force yourself, and just stay at home and recuperate. You are sick - so don't hesitate to stay in bed and rest. Although a tablet will help stop your nose from running, it will not cure you. Here's what you can do to cure that cold faster than ever.

Tea

Ginger tea is an excellent choice for when you have a cold. You will feel better almost immediately, but after some time your cold will go back to its original condition. You could, however, drink around 4 cups of ginger tea during the day. If you trying to lose weight, consider drinking a couple of cups of tea without sugar. Black tea is also a good choice, but don't force yourself to drink black tea if you dislike the taste. Herbal tea or green tea is also a good choice during this time.

Water

Heat up water slightly before drinking it, to soothe your throat and relieve symptoms. Don't even think about drinking cold water from the refrigerator. Keep a thermos with warm water besides your bed, and keep drinking from this through the day. If you have arunny nose, a cold can be very dehydrating so it would be in your best interests to drink a lot of water.

Slippers

Don't walk barefoot in the home if you feel a cold coming on. Wear slippers when walking around the house to keep your feet warm and snug and reduce its contact with the cold floor.

Honey

Honey helps when you have a cold. As soon as you feel a cold coming on, take a teaspoon of honey.

Curd

Avoid curd and buttermilk during this period or your cold will only worsen. Similarly, avoid dishes that are made from curd, such as Punjabi kadhi.